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Reparations And The Need For A Deeper Intellectual Discussion

Published

7 years ago

May 29, 2019

Curtis O. Robinson, Sr.

God on Wall Street

Rev. Curtis O. Robinson, Sr.

In 2017, Drew Gilpin Faust, then President of Harvard University, drew national acclaim when she presented to the academic world a conference entitled “Universities And Slavery: Bound By History.” Faust brought attention to the involvement of Harvard and the school’s support of slavery. (Succeeded by Lawrence Bacow, however, Faust’s retirement ‘present’ was a seat on the Board of Director’s at Goldman Sachs.)

So entrenched was Harvard’s involvement in the justification of slavery, that one-time professor, Louis Agassiz created a discipline called “polygenism.” Defenders of slavery used polygenism to maintain that the different races were completely and genetically distinct and that slavery was a natural condition for an inferior race.

President Faust put a spotlight on this claim, and today, Harvard is trying to make adjustments. In a plaque on the walls of Harvard’s Law School, it reads, “IN HONOR OF THE ENSLAVED WHOSE LABOR CREATED WEALTH THAT MADE POSSIBLE THE FOUNDING OF HARVARD LAW SCHOOL.”

Let’s be clear, slavery is about economics for America, but more importantly it is about power. In his book, “Slavery And Social Death: A Comparative Study,” author Orlando Patterson said, “Slavery is one of the most extreme forms of the relation of domination, approaching the limits of total power from the viewpoint of the master, and of total powerlessness from the viewpoint of the slave.”

Slavery was about money, but it was also about one race of people assuming power over another race of people. Agassiz used his influence from his lofty perch at Harvard to assure slaveholders that they were completely justified in their stance to rule over an assumed inferior race of people, a master- slave relationship that lingers today.

Two years ago, French President Emanuel Macron suggested that we need to remember the darkness of slavery for the purposes of reconciliation, but not for reparations. This is linguistically abnormal when you consider the etymological definition of reparations. There are three words that define reparations; reconciliation, restoration, and repair. So, that means that reconciliation and reparations belong in the same box.

Macron, quite possibly could have been asleep in his French History class. In 1919, the “Treaty Of Versailles,” was established in Paris. It included an intellectual discussion about reparations for Europe after World War I.

However, it’s time for African Americans to wake up to this phenomenon, and it’s time for reconciliation, restoration, and repair. The world needs it!

Curtis O. Robinson, Sr.

Posts by Curtis O. Robinson, Sr.

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Oakland Post: Week of September 9 – 15, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 9 – 15, 2026

Published

14 hours ago

September 14, 2026

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

Published

7 days ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.